Industry Voices: Why The SLB Matters
By Cees de Jager,
President and CEO of the Binational Softwood Lumber Council
No single mill, company, or region can carry the weight of defending and growing demand for lumber alone. That’s why the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) was created—with a focused mandate to increase demand and expand market share for the entire industry. The results speak for themselves: since 2012, SLB programs have generated an extraordinary $44 per every dollar invested, influenced more than 2,700 U.S. projects, and secured 16 billion board feet of new demand.
Now is not the time to lose this momentum. Tightening market conditions and code and policy headwinds threaten lumber demand in applications such as outdoor living and single-family housing. The lumber industry faces aggressive, well-funded efforts from other competitive materials, such as steel and concrete. The SLB’s recently approved strategic plan recognizes and addresses these challenges, with a focused plan to generate 2.9 BBF of new incremental demand by focusing on high-growth multifamily and non-residential building segments. Nearly half of the projected growth—about 1.4 BBF (47%)—will come from light-frame construction for use in building much-needed affordable and attainable housing.
But the industry can’t take this growth for granted. The USDA, which oversees the SLB, conducts a referendum every five to seven years to continue the SLB, and the next vote is upcoming. The Binational Softwood Lumber Council supports the continuation of the SLB for a third term as a scalable, collaborative industry-wide strategy that is vital to secure the future health of the lumber industry.
Beyond the results, what matters most is what industry leaders are saying about the SLB’s impact. Their message is clear: we need this work now more than ever.
Trey Hankins
“The SLB is set up really well to increase lumber demand because when we’re fighting against competing materials, you have to cast the widest net possible. And the SLB is the organization that does that with all the organizations that it’s supporting, including Think Wood, WoodWorks, and the AWC. It is able to fight for all sawmills regardless of location and size, and that’s the kind of breadth that we need to be able to compete effectively.”
- Trey Hankins, Chief Financial Officer, Hankins, Inc., Ripley, Mississippi
Mark Brinkmeyer
“It’s through the Softwood Lumber Board that we’ve had the opportunity to have a combined marketing effort of all of our species from a building component perspective. When we look at what automation, creativity, and AI will be able to bring us in the future, all of those things can manifest themselves through the Softwood Lumber Board, the AWC, Woodworks, Think Wood and our Education arm. The Softwood Lumber Board is our future.”
- Mark Brinkmeyer, Owner, Idaho Forest Group, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Susan Yurkovich
“At Canfor, we believe the future of building is rooted in sustainability, and lumber is central to that future. As a company that operates in both Canada and the United States, we’re proud to be a part of a North American industry that is advancing the use of lumber in both traditional and emerging applications. The Softwood Lumber Board is leading that charge by growing the market for mass timber and highlighting the benefits of using responsibly sourced materials. Their exceptional efforts are playing a critical role in positioning lumber as a renewable, low-carbon solution while helping to drive demand for smart, sustainable construction.”
- Susan Yurkovich, President & CEO, Canfor, Vancouver, British Columbia
Alden Robbins
“Our region has smaller companies and a smaller voice individually, but the Softwood Lumber Board really helps amplify our voice alongside other small companies. The economic and political environment shifts from year to year, but the SLB keeps our industry focused on long-term growth. The SLB gives our industry a strategic plan that builds on the investments we’ve made so far to continue to grow demand for lumber in the years ahead.”
- Alden Robbins, Vice President – Sales, Robbins Lumber, Searsmont, Maine
Jerome Pelletier
“I’ve been amazed by the industry knowledge and skills that the SLB staff brings to the table. They have a clear understanding of market trends and a strategy on where the industry’s investments can be the most impactful. That expertise stands out by the results: more buildings built with wood as opposed to concrete and steel, generating several additional billion board feet of lumber demand over the last decade.”
- Jerome Pelletier, Vice President of the Sawmill Division, J.D. Irving, Ltd., Saint John, New Brunswick
Derek Ratchford
“The work by the SLB, WoodWorks, and Think Wood to turn architects, engineers, and developers into wood advocates has been critical for the lumber industry and for mass timber. With the support of these programs, the lumber industry is converting large multifamily and nonresidential projects that would never have used wood before. Mass timber buildings, and hybrid mass timber construction with light-frame or steel, is a phenomenal solution—and we need the help of the SLB and its programs to continue growing this important market for softwood lumber.”
- Derek Ratchford, CEO, SmartLam, Columbia Falls, Montana
Nick Arkle
“I’ve watched with great interest what the SLB has achieved since its inception. Growing the demand for lumber through educating the designers and the builders, while also working on modernizing codes, has resulted in a huge positive shift in the use of wood for multiple construction solutions. It is very clear that the opportunities are boundless.”
- Nick Arkle, CEO, Gorman Brothers Lumber, West Kelowna, British Columbia
These leaders represent companies of all sizes, in every region, yet they all agree on one thing: the SLB is the best tool we have to grow lumber demand. When the industry works together, the resulting collaboration, scale, and efficiencies drive greater achievements and open more opportunities than can be achieved through individual efforts or regional programs. To build on this momentum, please vote “Yes” to support the continuation of the SLB when you receive your ballot in the mail.
Learn more about the vital role the SLB plays at softwoodlumber.org.
